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University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108
Abstract
This study investigated alternative sow management programs designed to improve parity-two litter size, as well as the influence of changes in body weight, backfat and condition score on parity-two litter size. Five hundred seventy-eight Fl Large White x Landrace primiparous sows were assigned randomly, after farrowing, to one of five treatments (Trt). Treatments included 1) controls (CON; weaning at 21 d and mated at the first detected estrus); 2) SKIP (weaning at 21 d and mating at the first detected estrus after 17 d postweaning); 3) EWEAN (weaning at 17 d and mating at least 17 d postweaning); 4) SWEAN (litters were split-weaned, one group at 16 d, the other at 21 d with mating at the first detected estrus); and 5) ALTRENO (weaning at 21 d, feeding altrenogest for 10 d and mating at the first detected estrus). Piglet data were analyzed both excluding (Model 1), then subsequently including (Model 2), all sows conceiving outside set times postweaning. Farrowing rate data included all sows mated regardless of weaning-to-service interval. More pigs (P < .05) were born alive (11.26, 11.10 and 10.15, respectively) to sows in SKIP, EWEAN and ALTRENO than to sows in CON and SWEAN (7.9 and 9.07, respectively). Control sows had a lower (P < .05) farrowing rate (74.8%) than sows in all Trt except EWEAN (84.1%). In conclusion, sows in SKIP, EWEAN and ALTRENO had more total pigs born and pigs born alive. Sows in SKIP, SWEAN and ALTRENO had the highest farrowing rates.
1 The authors acknowledge the financial assistance of the Natl. Pork Prod. Council, the Minnesota Agric. Exp. Sta., and Roussel-UCLAF. We also thank the management and staff at Dayton Pork and Swine Graphics, Iowa.
2 Dept. of Large Anim. Clin. Sci.
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